State Government

How long should former drug felons who have completed their prison term continue to pay for their crime? Alabama is one of 10 states that still impose a lifetime ban on receipt of SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) benefits for anyone who has ever had a felony drug conviction, and one of 12 states with a similar ban on receipt of TANF (formerly known as welfare) benefits. The bans include no exceptions for people who have completed their sentences, complied with their probation terms, paid all their fines and penalties, and overcome their addictions.

This issue brief examines how many Alabamians may be affected by this lifetime ban and the potential financial and social effects of keeping it in place.

Alabama's capital and second-largest city Tuesday joined a growing group of cities clamping down on the proliferation of payday and title lending storefronts. The Montgomery City Council voted 5-3 for a 90-day moratorium on issuing new business licenses to such operations. The moratorium does not affect current operations.

Montgomery joins a list of other state cities that have passed or renewed temporary restrictions on licenses for new payday or title lenders since 2011, including Birmingham, Center Point, Decatur, Eufaula, Irondale and Trussville. This news update examines the Montgomery council decision and what may come next.

A large coalition gathered Thursday at the State House in Montgomery to urge legislators to pass legislation limiting high-interest lending in Alabama, notably payday and auto title loans. The Alliance for Responsible Lending in Alabama made its debut, and several presenters spoke eloquently on the harms of predatory lending. This legislative update highlights the various proposals to rein in payday and title loans in Alabama.

Up to $70.5 million of Education Trust Fund (ETF) money could help subsidize private school tuition for some K-12 students next year under a proposed ETF budget that the House's education budget committee will consider this week. The committee held a public hearing on the $5.8 billion budget plan Tuesday morning and is expected to vote on it Wednesday afternoon.

Alabama would enforce a federal interest rate cap on payday loans to military families if a bill approved by a Senate committee Wednesday becomes law. Senate committees also signed off on a proposal to require drug tests for certain TANF applicants, a plan to sell bonds to buy K-12 career tech equipment, and a bill to increase the state income tax credit for rural doctors. This legislative update highlights committee action and debate on those measures.